


Challenge Accepted

by Stacysmash



Series: Random Rare Pairs [8]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Canon Compliant, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Flashbacks, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Multiple Pairings, Pining, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-03-01 08:53:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13291407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: "Boy you’re testy today… what’s got you in such a mood?”Semi groaned, “Nothing. How are you doing? I haven’t seen you since before the semester started.”“Oh, no, no, no. You’re not getting out of it that easily. Why are you so glum? Is it… loooooooove troubles?” Tendou’s eyes widened, his whole body stiffening upward as Semi’s eyes slid away toward the window. “It is?! Tell me everything!”“There’s nothing to tell,” Semi grumbled, still not meeting Tendou’s eyes.“There is, you can’t fool me. Don’t you know it helps to talk about things?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a gift for Tendou Satori...since I treated him so badly in my other fic, poor baby.

The cafe was lively with chatter and the comforting aroma of coffee and vanilla. Semi Eita drummed his fingers against the table as he watched the steam curl up from his mug and disappear into the air. He glanced over at his phone to check the time and sighed as he leaned his head back against the booth.

“Falling asleep? I’m not _that_ late, Semi-kuuuuun,” A teasing voice crept into his ear.

Semi grinned and watched as Tendou slid into the seat across from him. He looked different than he used to in high school when they had little choice in what they could wear to school. With his aesthetic freedom Tendou preferred trendy, colorful clothing, even wrapping a slim bandana over the top part of his spikes, the rest of his bright red hair flipping out behind it.

He noticed Tendou appraising him as well with his heavy lidded eyes, hiding a smirk behind his own mug of coffee.

“ _Don’t say it_ ,” Semi seethed, his dark eyebrows furrowing at his friend.

“Say what, Semi-kun?”

“I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on this shirt!”

“There’s nothing wrong with the shirt. I suppose it would take a certain kind of person to be able to pull it off.”

Semi growled. “And I suppose I’m not that kind of person?”

Tendou snickered and held his hands up in front of him, “Easy, I didn’t say that. Boy you’re testy today… what’s got you in such a mood?”

Semi groaned, “Nothing. How are you doing? I haven’t seen you since before the semester started.”

“Oh, no, no, no. You’re not getting out of it that easily. Why are you so glum? Is it… _loooooooove_ troubles?” Tendou’s eyes widened, his whole body stiffening upward as Semi’s eyes slid away toward the window. “It is?! Tell me everything!”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Semi grumbled, still not meeting Tendou’s eyes.

“There is, you can’t fool me. Don’t you know it helps to talk about things?”

“No, seriously. Me and him… we’re just friends, there’s nothing else to say.”

“I’ll decide that. Just start at the beginning. How’d you meet?”

Semi looked over at his exuberant friend to see him leaning forward eagerly as he sipped his coffee. There was no getting out of this one. He sighed heavily as he glanced at his mug, half drunk and no longer steaming.

“It was a couple weeks into the semester. I like my classmates, but there’s nobody I can really connect with. I really miss volleyball, but I skipped tryouts. Our university team is one of the best in the nation, there’s no reason to put half my time training to just sit on a bench _if_ I even make second string. So, making friends isn’t the easiest. One weekend everyone had gone home to visit their families and bribe their moms to do their laundry, so I was bored out of my mind. I ended up at the rec, where I spent most of my free time. The entire place was practically empty, so I was surprised when I went to my favorite machine to find someone already using it.”

 

**Semi’s flashback**

_What the hell? The place is empty, and he has to be on my machine?_ Semi thought as he stared at the strange looking guy with silver and black spiked hair, flexing his impressive biceps as he moved the weighted handles forward. Semi was so stunned he didn’t even realize he was just standing there with his mouth twisted in irritation.

“Is something wrong?” Spikey hair guy asked as he whipped his towel up to dab the sweat from his face.

Semi flinched as he bit his lip in embarrassment. “No, I’m sorry! It’s just I usually use that machine and with it being so empty I didn’t expect someone to be on it.”

“Oh! I’ll wipe it off and move on. Just give me a sec.”

Semi waved his hands in front of him as he shook his head from side to side. “No, seriously don’t worry about it. I’ll use a different one til you’re done. Plenty to choose from today.”

The other guy laughed as he relaxed back onto the padded seat. “No kidding! I didn’t think I’d be so bored on a weekend that all I could do is work out.”

Semi laughed as he took a nearby machine, hoping to continue the conversation between him and the friendly stranger. “That’s exactly what I’m doing! My home’s too far to just visit on a random weekend anyways.”

“Oh? Where you from?”

“Miyagi.”

“Oh! I’ve got a lot of friends from Miyagi! What school did you go to?”

“Shiratorizawa.”

“No shit! Your volleyball team was intense. Wish I could’ve played them, but I’m happy Karasuno made it through.”

Semi nearly dropped his weights when he heard the stranger mention volleyball. “I was on their volleyball team.”

“Eh? You played with Ushijima?!”

“Of course. I was his setter second year, but third year I was just a pinch server.”

“That’s awesome! Man, that guy _just_ beat me in the top three. What are the odds we’d both play volleyball, huh? Hey! Why haven’t I seen you at practice?” He asked as he released the bars to have a good look at Semi.

“Because I never tried out. I don’t think I’m good enough for the team. Plus, I want to concentrate on my major. It’s not easy.”

“Oh… I can understand that part. You say you were a setter though? We could really use a backup setter, I don’t get along with ours right now,” He said as he physically wilted. Suddenly, as if a string was connected to his spine and someone jerked it straight up, the guy perked up and stared at Semi with a magnetizing intensity. “You wanna practice with me now?!”

“You want me to set for you?”

“Yeah! No one’s here, so I bet the gym’s empty. What do you say?”

Semi couldn’t believe his luck. He had been craving to feel the weight of a volleyball between his fingers, launching it into the air with careful precision. “Okay, but don’t get your hopes up. I’m really rusty.”

“Don’t worry about that! Just get it up and I’ll hit it!” He shot out of his seat and was about to take off when he froze. He turned back to Semi and offered out his hand. “I’m Bokuto Koutarou, by the way!”

Semi stood up and accepted Bokuto’s hand, immediately impressed by the grip that was obviously not meant to be intimidating. “Nice to meet you. I’m Semi Eita.”

“Semi! This is gonna be great! I’m so pumped, let’s go!!”

Semi nearly had to grab onto his shirt to keep him from running off without wiping the machine down. He chuckled as Bokuto bounced around like a puppy as he quickly wiped the machine off, grabbed his bag and took off toward the gym. He wasn’t sure how long Bokuto had been working out already, but enough for his shirt to already be soaked with sweat in certain places. It made no dent in his energy level as he ripped open the equipment doors and began pulling out the netting.

A wave of bittersweet nostalgia overwhelmed Semi, and suddenly he felt like he was back at the gym at Shiratorizawa, rolling his eyes at Tendou’s antics or giving Goshiki tips on his serves.

“Hey, you okay?” Bokuto asked, his hand grasping Semi’s shoulder. It was warm, comfort spreading from it and pushing away all the somber thoughts that were infecting him.

“Yeah, sorry. Suddenly got a little homesick. I miss my teammates a lot.”

“Oh man! I know exactly how that feels! Teammates… they’re more than friends, they’re like your family.”

“Yeah you’re right. It’s like they’re both at the same time?”

Bokuto gave him a smile and a firm pat on the shoulders. “Exactly! Hey now, don’t be down in the dumps. You may no longer be on a team, but you just made a friend! Let’s play! It’ll make you feel better.”

Strangely enough, it did make Semi feel better. With the ball cart right next to him, he swirled the ball in his hands and lifted it into the air. He lined up his fingers and when the ball fell into them, he sent it straight over to Bokuto. He held his breath as he watched Bokuto’s eyes zero in on it, and like a bird in flight he flew up to it, launching himself into the air and slamming it down on the other side in an impressive cross. Semi’s heart pounded against his chest, his breath shuddering from the excitement of such a simple action. He licked his lips as he rubbed his fingers together, ready to do it again.

Bokuto turned to him as soon as he landed on his feet, a giant grin on his face. “That was awesome, Dude! Can you do one even higher?”

Semi smirked as he swirled another ball in his hands. “Of course, I’ll do it as high as you like.” This time when he set it, he did as Bokuto asked and sent it higher. He was almost worried it was too high, but Bokuto jumped, soaring through the air as his palm connected with it easily.

“That was perfect! You can do whatever you want though, variation is good to keep me on my toes.”

“Alright, Bokuto. Let’s see if you can get this one,” Semi teased, and sent the ball far to the right. Bokuto ran after it with glee, just barely connecting with it and sending it to the other side. _He likes the challenge_ , Semi thought, his muscles trembling with excitement as he thought about what he was gonna do next. They stayed in the gym for another couple of hours until they were starving with sweat pouring down their faces.

“What do you say we hit the showers and get something to eat?” Semi suggested as he began collecting balls as they drifted across the gym floor.

“Sounds good! I bet I can collect more balls than you can!”

“I’m already ahead of you,” Semi said, but began to snicker as Bokuto darted about anyways.

He felt faint as they finally closed the equipment closet doors, but he knew a shower had to come first. Naturally they were the only two there, so he was looking forward to having all the hot water he wanted as they walked into the locker room. They began peeling off their sweat soaked clothes when he glanced over at Bokuto and froze.

He was just stretching his shirt over his head, giving Semi a perfect view of his sculpted torso. It was the type of body sculptors in Greece would use as a model for their marble statues, and Semi felt like the temperature in the room had just been turned up. He jerked his head away before Bokuto could notice him staring. He gulped as he slipped the rest of his own clothes off, trying to think of anything unpleasant to cool himself down.

Suddenly there was a finger poking his back, and he yelped as he slammed his back against the lockers. Bokuto flinched back in surprise and then roared with laughter as he placed his hands on his knees, not even minding the fact that he was completely naked.

“I’m sorry, Dude, I didn’t mean to scare you! You have some cute freckles on your back and I had to touch them. Oh, maybe you’re just ticklish?” He teased, an evil smirk crawling on his face as he leaned in toward Semi.

“No! Not ticklish, you just startled me is all. Come on, let’s hurry. I’m gonna die if I don’t get food soon.” Semi rushed past him into the showers, his face flushed bright red. He ended up taking the quickest shower he could, and he kept it ice cold.

 

**Back to Present**

“So? What’s the problem then?” Tendou asked as he cocked his head at his friend.

“The problem is he’s hot! I can hardly concentrate when we’re together, I keep spacing out when I look at his face, or his shoulders, or his ass…”

Tendou burst out laughing, holding his stomach as he tried to breathe. “You got it bad, Semi-kun! Is this guy even gay?”

“See that’s just it, I have no idea!”

“How’s he act around girls?”

“He doesn’t really know how to talk to them, he talks to them the same as he does guys.”

“Does he ever flirt? With either?”

“Well… that’s tough to say. He’s naturally handsy with people he’s friendly with, and is enthusiastic about random things, but especially volleyball. I have no idea what his flirting would look like.”

“Hmmmm,” Tendou replied as he squinted his eyes out the window in thought. “You know, I bet I could tell if you introduced us.”

“No way. I’m not introducing you two.”

“Whyyyyyyyyyy?” Tendou whined as he fell forward onto the table.

“I have no idea what would happen to the universe if your personalities were to collide.”

“Oh ho ho! Sounds like fun. So, you’re just gonna stay friends with him? Why not just ask him out on a date?”

“Because he’s the only friend I’ve made! I don’t wanna make it weird between us, you know?”

There was something in Semi’s words that caused Tendou to lose his enthusiasm. He slouched in his seat as he stared down at his coffee. “Yeah… I can understand that.”

“Tendou? What’s wrong?” Semi’s eyebrows shot up as he leaned forward with both concern and intrigue. “Are you having the same problem?”

“No!” Tendou said as he turned his face away in a defiant pout.

Semi snorted, “Come on, buddy. I told you my depressing story, now tell me yours.”

“It’s worse than yours! You say he’s your only friend, but you could easily make more friends if you wanted to. You know how hard it is for me. I hoped things would be better in college, but without our team I’ve got nobody. That is… I’ve made _one_ friend.”

“Who is it?”

Tendou winced, “So, you remember Karasuno, right?”

“Yeah, so it’s someone from there?”

“Yeah, not their main setter, but their back up. Sugawara Koushi.” Semi squinted at him as he tried to think back, and Tendou sighed as he continued. “Grey hair, little mole below his eye… we didn’t have the best first impression of each other.”

Semi snorted, “Well, it is _you_ , and you met as rivals. Of course, it wouldn’t be the best. But how did you two get to be friends?”

 

**Tendou’s flashback**

Tendou bounced on his toes as he stood in front of his professor, who was sifting through his latest set of storyboards. He grew nervous as he watched the man narrow his eyes through his spectacles with a “Hmm” and an occasional “Ah”. Finally, he set the last page face down on the pile and gather them up, gently tapping them against his desk to straighten the pile.

“Well, Tendou-kun. I have to say I’m impressed with your story arc and well-developed characterization. Your art style though… it doesn’t quite fit?”

At hearing the professor compliment his work, Tendou had begun to relax until he heard the mention of his art style. He cringed, knowing it was his weak point. “How so, Sensei?”

“Well, it almost seems as if you’re trying to keep the story light and energetic through a few jokes and the almost juvenile look to the characters. I’m not saying your artistry is juvenile, but the design invokes a youthfulness to it, when your story actually seems quite dark. Is it that you feel comfortable with this look to a manga?”

“Oh, well I thought by keeping it lighter and a softer look to the characters it would be more marketable and successful.”

The professor chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. “You’re an intelligent student, Tendou-kun. It’s important for a successful mangaka to be aware of what the demand of the consumer is. However, you’re only a first-year student. Now is the time to develop the type of manga you want to create, what sort of story you want to tell. Get that set _first_ , and worry about tweaking it later in your third or fourth year to make it more marketable. With that said… it may also be good to work on your social skills a bit? You’ve pretty much alienated yourself from the entire class.”

Tendou scrunched his nose in irritation. “It’s not my fault, Sensei. We were doing a workshop, and I only suggested to Takahashi-kun that he should develop the story more. I complimented his artwork first, I don’t know why everyone had to go berserk on me.”

“Hmm, yes that’s true. I even agreed with you, but no one heard me over Yuuko-chan.”

“Exactly, it’s only cuz she has a crush on Takahashi-kun she started screaming at me. She didn’t have to call me creepy.”

“No, and I have already spoken to her about her behavior. But you’ve done little since to repair the damage. I think you enjoy getting under everyone’s skin.”

“But Senseeeeiii, it’s so easy!”

His professor laughed softly and shook his head. “Wait til you’re ridiculously successful to play with people that way, Tendou-kun. There aren’t many careers you can have if you can’t handle getting along with people.”

Tendou sighed heavily and nodded. “Alright, Sensei. I’ll try.”

“Good boy. Now go work on your style a bit and bring me something new on Monday.”

“Yes, sir.”

 

Later that afternoon he located an empty bench outside his dorm room and launched himself toward it. It was rare to find a comfortable spot to draw that wasn’t already taken, and as he stretched himself out he cheerfully whipped out his sketchbook and got to work. The sun reached out from behind a cloud, bathing him in warm light. Despite his good mood and the bright atmosphere, his pencil strokes streaking across the page invoked a much darker feeling as he completely reimagined his main character’s design. He was nearly finished with his first sketch when he heard a devastated groan nearby. He swiveled his head around until he spotted a figure leaning back against a tree trunk nearby. Tendou leaned a little further and could vaguely see the student staring at the tree in front of him as if it was purposely trying to ruin his life. Resting on the guy’s lap was an open sketchbook, the top page looking entirely debauched with strange stroke marks, wrinkled corners and eraser shavings stretched across it.

_Ahhh, a tortured soul. I can feel his aura of frustration from here. I wanna poke him with a stick_ , Tendou thought gleefully as he slipped his sketchbook safely into his backpack and sidled over to the tree. He said nothing as he let his shadow fall over the distraught person, his insides squirming with delight as he concocted ways to unnerve the person beneath him. The student flinched at the sudden presence and glanced up at him, and his warm brown eyes widened at the sight of him, but it wasn’t an expression of fear or trepidation.

“Tendou Satori?”

It was Tendou’s turn to be surprised. He stepped back and looked the guy up and down, sensing the familiarity of him, but like a word on the tip of his tongue he couldn’t quite place who he was. The guy smiled and laughed at his confusion; he had a charming laugh that seeped into Tendou’s skin like the sunlight’s warmth burrowing into the surface of the cool earth. He stood up from his spot against the tree trunk and dusted the dirt off from his pants.

“I’m Sugawara Koushi, from Karasuno. We played you during the Spring High Preliminaries.”

Tendou gave a light gasp as the recognition finally shifted into place, but then he narrowed his eyes at the reminder of his final and disappointing volleyball game.

“Hmm, yes, I remember you, Sugawara-kun. You were quite tenacious with your positivity and encouragement.”

Sugawara laughed again, not bothered by the compliment being twisted into an insult. “Well, I know it might be strange to say, but it’s good to see you. Only one of my friends from Miyagi is here, so it’s nice to see a familiar face.”

Tendou was put off guard by Sugawara’s quick acceptance. Typically, when he encountered a previous volleyball rival, they’d hurl insults at his face and give him the cold shoulder. He knew very well he was never kind to his opponents, but that was just how he played the game. Those that win use every tool in their arsenal, and he had a lot of tools. The psychological ones just happened to be the most effective.

“Yeah,” He began awkwardly, his eyes still peering cautiously at his companion, “It is good to see a familiar face. No one else from home decided to go here, though I at least have some friends who chose a different school in Tokyo. So, Sugawara-kun, wanna tell me why you wanna murder that tree?”

Sugawara looked sheepish as he peered back at it. “I don’t wanna kill it. I’m not very good at drawing, but I’m taking this one class as an elective and it sounded like fun. I didn’t realize it would be so hard.”

“Ah, so you’re trying to draw the tree?”

“ _Trying_ , yes. It just doesn’t turn out right,” He whined as he snatched his sketchbook up to show him. Tendou’s eyes traveled over the page and flipped the previous one over as well to see his other attempts.

“Ah, seems you can’t decide _how_ you want to draw it.”

“What do you mean?” Sugawara asked as he peeked around his shoulder.

“Well, drawing is pretty subjective, and it’s all how the artist perceives things, and that becomes their style. So, you _could_ draw it detailed, and then you look more at different shading rather than lines, like this,” His pencil scrawled lightly as he highlighted the variations of bark as they curled up the trunk. Suga’s eyes stared in wonder as each stroke began to slowly create a picture. “Of course, many artists like a more simplistic product, using as few lines as possible to create the subject matter. The energy of the lines and expressiveness of it can really create a mood, like this.” He took the pencil and gave one long stroke, curving slightly at the bottom. With just a few more he had created a tree. It wasn’t as detailed as his first sketch, but was more expressive in the style.

Sugawara’s mouth dropped open as his eyes moved around the page. “Oooooh, that makes so much sense. But I’m still not sure which one I’d rather do?”

Tendou shrugged as he handed the sketchbook back to him. “Art isn’t about perfection. Most of it is trial and error through experimentation. Practice is what develops your style, that’s what I’m struggling with right now.”

“Practice?”

“Ha, no, my style. I’m completely redoing the art style for the manga I’m working on.”

“Can I see it?” Sugawara asked, an excited smile stretching across his face. Tendou gulped as he grew a little nervous. He was usually confident in his abilities, but there was something about Sugawara that put him on edge. It was like he didn’t want to disappoint him, but why should he even care?

He bit his lip and slipped his own sketchbook out of his backpack. He flipped back a couple pages to an old frame he was working on and showed Sugawara, briefly describing the plot and character development. Then he flipped to the freshest page where he was experimenting with the new look. Sugawara nodded as he looked both over, and when he had finished gave Tendou another bright smile.

“These are great! I can see what you mean about the different styles, but I think this new one is definitely the way to go. It’s really fascinating!”

“You… you like it?”

“Of course! The story sounds interesting too.”

Tendou felt his cheeks grow hot, and suddenly he felt like he wanted to hide. “Thank you… I wasn’t sure if anyone would like it.”

“Nonsense! Even if a story is strange, there are always people out there that can connect to it. And this one is different but still easy to identify with. It’s very good.”

Tendou was stunned speechless, but luckily he didn’t have time to think of something to respond with when Sugawara checked his watch. “Oh! I’ve gotta run, I have another class to get to. Tendou-kun, you wanna get lunch with me tomorrow?”

“Lunch… with me?”

Sugawara laughed as he put his things away. “Yes! Lunch, you and me, eat. Wanna meet in the cafeteria around noon?” Tendou nodded numbly, and Sugawara giggled as he waved. “Good, see you tomorrow!”

 

**Back to Present**

“Wow,” Semi said, a playful smile on his face. “I don’t see what you’re worried about. It sounds like you two really get along.”

Tendou sighed heavily and shook his head, “Sure, we get along, but it’s _Sugawara-kun_. He gets along with everyone! Besides… I haven’t even told you the worst part.”

“Okay, what’s the worst part?”

“His roommate is the Karasuno captain, Sawamura Daichi.”

“I remember him. So, he’s rooming with his old friend? What’s the big deal?”

“Uuuuugh, Semi, have you seen him? I went over to their dorm one day, and he answered the door without his shirt on. He’s a hunk and I’m… well I’m different.”

“Maybe he likes different.”

“It’s not only that, the guy’s _nice_ ,” He said the word as if it tasted disgusting, and Semi laughed. “And they’re _best_ friends supposedly. How can I compete with that?! And even if I could… like you said, it’s terrifying ruining the only friendship you’ve got.”

“Hey, wait a minute. It’s not the only friendship you have. I’m only a couple train stop away. You know what? We sound totally pathetic. We’re adults now, we should start acting like it! Tendou,” Semi stated in a stern tone, leaning forward and locking eyes with his friend, “Let’s make a pact. I’ll start flirting with Bokuto and try to figure out which way he swings. _You_ find out the true relationship between Sugawara and his roommate. If they’re just friends, start flirting! Deal?”

Tendou stared at Semi’s fist resting in midair in front of him. He squinted at it, as if it would suddenly jab him in the nose. He scrunched up his face and groaned, slowly lifting his own fist and bopping it gently against Semi’s.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Semi-**

Unfortunately, fate seemed against Semi for the next week after making the pact with Tendou. He was slammed with projects and exams, and Bokuto had an upcoming game that weekend and was preoccupied with practicing with his teammates. He had only known the energetic goofball for a couple months, but he had already woven his way into his daily routine, and not seeing him at all dampened Semi’s spirit. The worst was when his classmates he was assigned with for the group project decided to get together on Saturday to work on it, which was when Bokuto’s game was. He had promised him he’d go and cheer for him, but there was no way he could bail out on a group project. After a slew of arguments and begging, he convinced them to at least meet up earlier than the game, so he could go to it straight after. Before meeting he did as much preliminary work as possible, hoping it wouldn't take too long.

As he stayed up late Friday finishing up in the garish light of his computer, his phone flashed with a notification. He smiled when he saw it was from Bokuto, asking if he was going to be at the game. He replied he would, but explained about the group project and he may be late. He received one more text from Bokuto, saying that if it was taking too long all he’d have to do is pull the fire alarm and then walk over to the gym. Semi snickered and said he’ll do his best with a winking emoji.

When he arrived the next morning, he ended up being the only group member on time and that had done any preliminary work. The faster time seemed to tick by, the more slowly his classmates seemed to work, and Semi began to panic as he glanced at his cell phone to see that Bokuto’s game had already started. They finally accomplished most of what they could and told him he could go on ahead since his work was done. He shoved his stuff into his backpack and took off running through the library, hoping he hadn’t missed too much.

He slid into the gymnasium as the entire audience had jumped to their feet in cheers. He craned his head over the crowd to see his school was ahead and at the match point for the first set. As everyone sat back down, he spied a seat close to the front he could sneak into and made a beeline for it. After checking with the people surrounding to make sure it wasn’t reserved, he settled in and caught his breath. His eyes darted across the court and stopped once they landed on Bokuto. He was focused, but he could tell his energy was spiked high. He wondered if that last point was earned by him, and once again felt cheated at missing it.

Just before the serve, Bokuto lifted the hem of his jersey and wiped his face on it, giving Semi and everyone in the audience a good view of his abs. Semi felt pathetic at feeling his insides squirm at the sight and tore his eyes away to watch Bokuto’s teammate serve the ball. It went over the net and was received. The opposition spiked it back over and was luckily caught by one of Bokuto’s teammates. Semi held his breath as he watched the setter toss the ball into the air and send it over to Bokuto. The expression on Bokuto’s face was hungry as he soared into the air against three blockers. With a whip of his arm the ball slammed down onto the other side’s court, earning the final point for the set. Semi cheered with the rest of the crowd and watched Bokuto lift his fists into the air with a loud “Hey, hey, hey!” as he’d heard him do a million times.

It was a close game, but Bokuto’s team at last pulled ahead and won the game by two points. As both teams shook hands under the net, the audience began to stand and gather their things to leave. Anxious to see Bokuto before he left the gymnasium to shower, Semi slipped through the crowd toward the court. He could just see Bokuto’s hair above the sea of heads as he was jostled left and right. With a final push he it through, he paused on the side of the court to look around for Bokuto. Once he spotted him chatting with his teammates, he stepped forward but froze when another group of guys called out Bokuto’s name. He turned and cheered when he saw them, and yelled out a name at the top of his lungs as he barreled forward. The shorter one in front winced just as Bokuto wrapped his arms around him a twirled him around. The others laughed and made some jokes among themselves, and suddenly Semi felt like he was intruding. He turned and made his way into the crowd, trying to ignore the pain shooting through his chest and upsetting his stomach.  

As he returned to his dorm room, he was relieved his roommate was out, so he could rot in peace. He slipped his clothes off and crawled in bed, pulling the covers over his head so he could hide from the torrent of thoughts plaguing him. Only his covers betrayed him, and in the darkness his thoughts seemed even louder as they began to throb in his head.

_Who was that guy he hugged? Bokuto's pretty physical, but to hug another guy like that… they must have a special relationship._ Suddenly he knew exactly how Tendou must be feeling with Sugawara and his roommate. Except he at least could observe them and ask about their relationship as a bystander. It would be weird if he just randomly asked Bokuto about that guy he hugged after the game. Eventually the depressing thoughts were enough to lull him to sleep, and he stayed that way for at least a couple hours until there was a knocking at his door.

He groaned as he sat up in bed, not knowing what time or day it was. Slowly the fragments of the morning’s events crept back, and he cringed as he felt like shit all over again. Another knock broke his decline into melancholy, and with a grunt he slipped out of bed and pulled on his sweatpants. He rubbed his face into his palm as he opened the door, not even looking at who was on the other side of it.

“Whoa, dude. You look like shit.”

His heart began to pound as he lifted his face from his hand and saw Bokuto standing in front of him, an amused smirk on his face. He was showered and dressed nicely, and it took him a minute to realize he wasn’t alone.

“This is your new friend Bokuto?!”

“He’s pretty tall.”

“Everyone’s tall to you, Komi.”

“Shut up!”

“Okay, okay guys, give us a minute,” Bokuto said as he edged into the room with Semi and shut the door behind him. “Hey, sorry about those guys. They’re my old teammates from Fukurodani.”

“Oh… that makes sense.” They stared at each other awkwardly for a moment.

Bokuto eyed him up and down, and asked, “So, were you taking a nap?”

“Yeah, I’m not quite sure how long I was out. I don’t even know what time it is.”

Bokuto smiled, but it wasn’t as energetic as it typically was. There was something holding him back, and it tore Semi apart to see it. “So,” Bokuto began, scratching the back of his head as his eyes trailed away from Semi, “Were you able to catch any of the game? Or did you come here after working?”

Suddenly Semi put the pieces together. “Oh no, I saw it! I only missed most of the first set, but I came in just as you scored the final point! It was a great game!”

Bokuto’s smile stretched wider as he perked up. “You did? Yeah, it was a great game! I didn’t hear from you after, so I wasn't sure. I sent you a couple messages.”

“Huh? Oh shit, I’m sorry… I was gonna come up to you, but I saw your friends and I didn’t want to interrupt. So, I came back here and passed out.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Speaking of friends, we were gonna go out for ramen. Wanna come?”

Semi quickly weighed the pros and cons of the situation. Bokuto was inviting him to eat out with his old teammates, which was a big deal. He could observe Bokuto’s interactions with that certain person and maybe do a little digging with his friends. On the other side, if he had to observe Bokuto flirting with the other guy, it might kill him. Well, if it came to that he could always make an excuse and leave.

“Yeah, sure that sounds like fun!”

“Great! Though, you may wanna put more clothes on. I don’t mind the look, but I think the restaurant might have a problem with it.”

 

Semi settled into a seat at a table long enough to accommodate the whole party. To his relief he sat beside Bokuto since he didn’t know anyone else, and beside his friend named Konoha, who had the sort of face that seemed to hold secrets no one else was privy to. Bokuto’s old teammates quickly proved themselves to be a friendly and energetic bunch, and it didn’t take long for Semi to feel comfortable around them. The only thing that irked him was Bokuto’s old setter Akaashi was on the other side of Bokuto, who happened to be the good-looking guy he hugged after the game. For most of the evening Bokuto seemed to swivel in his seat as he diverted his attention between them both.

It struck Semi strange how interested Bokuto’s teammates seemed in him, probing him with questions about his team from high school, what he’s studying now and even if he was dating anyone. When he asked about the interrogation, they laughed and said they were surprised Bokuto could make a friend who wasn’t forced to be on the team with him. Semi laughed with them at Bokuto’s indignant “Hey!” and pouting afterward.

Semi clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s alright, honestly I’m thankful for Bokuto. This semester would be dull without him.”

Bokuto perked up, his slumped shoulders straightening as he smiled back at him. “You mean it?!”

“Of course!”

“Huh,” Konoha said, narrowing his eyes as he leaned in toward Semi. “So, you’ve been close friends all semester. I bet you’ve got a really juicy story about our spiky haired friend. Something _really_ embarrassing.”

Bokuto yelped as Semi chuckled. “Now, now, that’s not how our friendship works. I’m not just gonna blab his secrets to all his friends,” Semi smiled at Bokuto as he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Konoha to continue, “ _Without_ you guys telling me a juicy story first. You give one, you get one!”

They all laughed as Bokuto gave up and fell face first onto the table. “I trusted you, Semi!” His voice whined. Suddenly he sat up as his head swiveled around, looking for something. “Ah, I gotta go. Be right back. Don’t tell stories while I’m gone!” He called as he weaved through tables toward the back of the restaurant.

His absence left a cavern of cold air to his left, and on the other side sat Akaashi, observing him thoughtfully. With a glance toward the restrooms where Bokuto had disappeared, he slipped into the seat next to Semi.

“So, Semi-san, Bokuto-san told me about your practices with him. Do you enjoy it?”

“Yeah, of course. I miss playing volleyball, and he’s been keeping my skills from getting rusty.”

Akaashi nodded, “He told me you are an exceptional setter.”

Semi chuckled and shook his head. “I’m alright, but I think he over exaggerated a little.”

Akaashi smirked slightly, “He does do that sometimes, but not when it comes to someone’s skills. He won’t hesitate to tell someone they suck, all in good humor of course. Do you think next year you’ll try out for the team?”

“I doubt it, I already had to deal with a kouhai taking my place once, and it frustrated me, even though I understand why they did it.”

“And yet with him they couldn’t beat Karasuno.”

“Jeeze, you don’t hold back, do ya,” Semi teased, and Akaashi smiled back.

“Sorry, but I do think you would do well on the team.”

Semi sat back and regarded Akaashi closely. “Why are you so set on me trying out?”

Akaashi shrugged, “Bokuto’s team is doing well, but he doesn’t get along with his current setter, who still has another year after this. I think he would like a better option, and you already have a good rapport with him. Trust and chemistry as you know are incredibly important to have between a setter and a spiker.”

“What about you? He talks about you all the time. Are you not coming to our school next year?”

“No, I’m actually going to a school in Kyoto.”

“Oh… Bokuto’s going to miss you.”

Akaashi gave him a warm smile, “Maybe, but I think he’ll be fine.”

 

**Tendou-**

Since meeting Semi at the coffee shop, Tendou had been almost nervous to be in Suga’s presence. He had decided before that he wasn’t going to pursue his friend romantically, but then he had to make that stupid pact and then all he could do is countdown to the moment he embarrassed himself and lost the only new friend he had made. He wasn’t necessarily avoiding Suga, he was just keeping himself extra busy, so it was hard to meet up.

It had been a week, and Tendou was spending a completely open Friday night with his nose in the newest Shonen Jump pumping moody music through his headphones. His phone lit up on his nightstand, grabbing his attention. His eyes narrowed at the phone, and glanced down at his manga, and then back at the phone. With a sigh he reached his long arms over and swiped at his phone screen.

His heart beat faster when he saw Suga’s name above a text begging for his help and insisting he would perish without it. He smiled and typed out a quick message back.

_On a scale of “I’m out of instant ramen” to “the zombie apocalypse is here” would this emergency fall?_

_Probably somewhere in the middle where “my life will be over as I know it”_

Tendou snorted and said he’d be right over. If he wanted to at least keep his friendship with Suga he’d need to see him anyways. Knowing the emergency was most likely art related, he gathered up his supplies and stuffed them into his backpack. He was nearly out the door when he stepped back in to check himself in the mirror. His hair had been growing out longer due to his own negligence, and he had taken to tying the top half back or wrapping a bandana over his head. Today it was tied back, and he scrunched his nose as he judged his reflection harshly. With a shrug he left his dorm room, resigned to the fact that he would never be voted Japan’s Sexiest Man. _I’ll leave that shit for Wakatoshi-kun._

He was relieved that Sugawara only lived down a floor from him, and he didn’t even have to leave the building. As knocked a tune on the door, and after a moment it opened to reveal Sawamura standing in the doorway. He was wearing a regular T-shirt and jeans, but the shirt was just tight enough to show off his biceps and broad chest. “Hey Tendou! Come on in, Suga’s freaking out,” Sawamura greeted, smiling warmly at him. That was another thing about him that irked Tendou, he was completely kind and sincere in everything.

_Damn it, how can I compete with that?_

“Of course! I’m here to the rescue!” He sang as he strode into the room with his fist in the air. He starts to remove his shoes when he spots a body sprawled out awkwardly on the sofa.

Suga raised his head and stuck his lower lip out when he saw him standing there.

“Tendou, help meeeeeeeee,” He whined pathetically with a couple fake sobs. Tendou giggled as he slid next to him on the sofa. He took the sketchbook that was clenched in Suga’s hand and looked over the sketch.

“Hmmm, oh yes!”

“Yeah? You like it?!” Suga asked, his face shining with hope.

“Of course! The amoeba is my favorite single celled organism!” Suga’s face fell as Sawamura laughed, plopping down on the floor on the other side of the coffee table onto a pillow.

“It’s supposed to be me.”

Tendou held it up in front of Daichi, squinting his eyes as he glanced back and forth. “Ooooh, I can see it now.” The tables turned as Suga broke out into tired giggles as Daichi frowned. “So, why are you sketching Sawamura-kun?” He asked, hoping he sounded more curious than jealous.

“Well, we’re doing portraits and it takes me so long to draw that I had to pick someone I was around a lot.” Suga dropped his voice as he muttered, “I just never noticed his head was shaped like that.” Both he and Tendou snickered behind his sketchbook.

Daichi huffed, “Why don’t you draw Tendou instead? You’re around him too.”

Suddenly Suga looked a little bashful as he glanced up at Tendou, but he didn’t get a chance to say anything.

“Artists draw people worth drawing, not weird looking people like me. I’m not a model.”

Pain shot through his arm as Suga rammed his fist into it. “You’re not weird looking! You have a distinctive look, but that’s not a bad thing, Negative Spikes! I was _going_ say I didn’t draw you because you’re so busy, but now you don’t have a choice. I’ll just draw you while you’re working.”

Tendou was still flinched away, rubbing his arm as Suga settled back against the side of the sofa and flipped over to a fresh page of his sketchbook. He glanced over at Sawamura, who had watched the whole thing with amusement.

“Wow, I didn’t know you two were _that_ close already.”

“Huh?!”

“Suga only physically assaults his closest friends and kouhai, typically when he wants to encourage them. Welcome to the club!”

Suga glanced up to give Daichi a dirty look. “You’re off the hook now, why don’t you go out?”

“And do what?”

A smirk began to curl on Suga’s lips, which did crazy things to Tendou’s heart. “Maybe you could call someone… someone specific.”

Daichi’s cheeks grew a little pink as he scrambled to his feet. “Nah, I’m just gonna run out and get some takeout. I’ll bring you guys back something.”

“Nonsense, Tendou and I can get delivery. Just give him a--”

There was an obnoxiously loud knock at the door, and they all paused to stare at it. Daichi eyed it suspiciously as he opened it slowly. A tall guy with crazy black hair sticking out everywhere leaned against the doorframe, grinning the kind of smile that hinted he was up to no good.

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding, Sawamura.”

“Where else would I be _hiding_?”

“Well, I stopped by the architecture department first, then the library, the cafeteria, the usual places, but you weren’t there.”

Daichi snorted as he opened the door wider for him to come in. “Why didn’t you just call or text me?”

“That would have spoiled the fun! I was trying to prove I knew you so well I would just find you, and I have! Wanna get some sushi?”

Suga straightened up, “He’d love to! Please take him away and out of my hair, Kuroo!”

Daichi glared at him while Kuroo laughed. “Oh, Kuroo, this is Tendou Satori, he played for Shiratorizawa. Tendou, this is Kuroo Tetsurou. He played for Nekoma in Tokyo. You both were middle blockers.”

They both perked up and simultaneously said, “Oh ho!” and then yelled out “Jinx!”

Daichi groaned and shook his head, “I have the feeling this was a bad idea. Come on, Kuroo. Let’s leave them alone.”

“Nice to meet you, Tendou!” Kuroo shouted as Daichi dragged him out the door.

Suga bit his lip to subdue his smile as he wiggled in his seat to get comfortable again. Tendou slipped his own sketchbook out to work on his storyboards and mirrored Suga’s position on the sofa, both their legs stretched out next to each other. They remained like that for a while, and though they said very little, it amazed Tendou how comfortable the atmosphere was between them. What Suga said earlier about his looks touched him deeply, and even if he never returned his feelings, he hoped they could always remain close.

“So, Sawamura-kun and his friend Kuroo seem close,” Tendou finally began, curious about the way Sawamura had seemed flustered in the other man’s presence.

The smile on Suga’s face grew. “Yeah, they were rival captains last year, but it’s kind of grown into a competitive friendship.”

“Ah, is that all it is?”

Suga’s warm brown eyes glanced at him from above his sketchbook. “You’ve always been pretty perceptive, haven’t you?”

“Not with everything. Before today… honestly l wasn’t sure what _your_ relationship with him was.” Tendou’s stomach squirmed as he finally touched on the subject he feared most. He glanced up at Suga, who stared back at him with an eyebrow cocked.

“Me… and _Daichi?!_ ” He burst out laughing as his sketchbook flopped onto his lap. “No, we’re like best friends! Why would you think I liked him?”

“I don’t know, cuz he’s nice, and handsome?”

Suga’s laughter faltered a moment, the smile sliding away from his face. “You think he’s handsome?”

Tendou shrugged, “Yeah, wouldn’t most people? He’s not my type though.”

“Oh?” Suga asked, his lips curling up slightly as his fingers fiddled with the pages of his sketchbook. “What is your type then?”

“I’m not telling you, Sugawara-kun,” Tendou said playfully, sticking his foot into Suga’s side. Suga flinched with a squeal, and in retaliation stretched his own foot as far as he could, but he could only reach Tendou’s thigh. Tendou giggled as he picked his sketchbook up and turned to a fresh page. Suga sighed and reluctantly picked his own up as well. As the peaceful atmosphere fell over them again, Tendou’s pencil began to flit across the fresh page. He glanced up to see Suga’s face scrunched up in concentration, and he resisted the urge to laugh. Instead he began map out the contours of his face, the shape of his soft hair, and began threading in the details that he loved most about Suga’s face.

 

**Coffee Shop**

Semi sat down across from Tendou in their favorite booth, a cup of steaming hot coffee in his hand.

“So…”

Tendou nodded, “Yeah…”

“Any luck?”

Tendou winced and gave a hesitant shrug, “Ehhhh, I’m not sure. Oh! So, him and his roommate are not a thing!”

Semi brightened up. “There you go! That’s a big deal! Do you know if he’s gay?”

Tendou’s face fell. “No! I have no clue! Wait, what about you?”

“So, I thought all I had to worry about was if he was gay, but turns out I have a similar case as you. I met his best friend, who’s ridiculously good looking, and they’re super close. But then his friend influenced me to join the volleyball team cuz Bokuto would like it. So, either nothing’s going on between them, or he doesn’t even see me as a threat.”

“And, you still don’t even know if he’s gay?”

Semi dropped his head onto the table. “Noooooooo.”

Tendou groaned and set his own face down on the table. “Why is love so hard?! Why is there no booze in my cup?”

“We’re in a coffee shop, not a bar.”

“Next time we’re meeting in a bar.”

“We’re underage.”

“We will not meet again until we’re of age.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

When Tendou typically grabbed lunch in the cafeteria, it was a quest of extreme delicacy. He needed to enter the battleground and locate his food, exchange funds and escape without being detected by the social groups scattered about the room. Like landmines, if he interacted with any of them in any way, the clique would combust in an explosion of drama. As he hovered in the doorway to the cafeteria, he could hear the tense electronic tones of his own personal soundtrack in his head. He stepped forward into the space, and luckily the movement was subtle enough that no one turned their attention toward him. With cool nonchalance he waded through the crowds and slipped easily through the food lines. _No eye contact… ugh that food looks like vomit--DON’T SAY ANYTHING… they don’t appreciate witty comments filled with descriptive metaphors… just keep moving, easy Satori._

His lips were pressed tight as he handed the money to the cashier and accepted the change with a simple thank you. As he stepped away with his food in his hands, he breathed a sigh of relief. _Level one cleared._ His eyes flickered over the crowd until he spotted his escape route. Licking his lips, he began the perilous journey. He swerved as he narrowly missed one of the bulky members of the basketball team who was charging through people like they were mere weeds to be stepped on. _Concentrate Satori...almost there._

“Tendou!” A voice carried over the dulled chatter as he froze. _Shit, I’ve been spotted._  He turned and released a long breath. It was Suga smiling at him from a nearby table, with Sawamura next to him and the bedhead Kuroo across from him. He smiled and waved as he recalculated his route toward his friend: the lovely Suga... the Link to his Zelda, the Pikachu to his Ash, the Vakarian to his Shepherd.

“Sugawara-kun! What are you all up to?”

“We’re still eating, you wanna sit with us?”

Tendou shrugged, “Sure, if you don’t mind.” He slid in next to Kuroo, happy that it allowed him to sit across from his angel. He was enjoying Kuroo’s addition to their unit of companions, since he brought out some enjoyable reactions in the steadfast Sawamura.

As he began eating his food, Suga leaned forward, his face shining with excitement. “So, what are you doing on Saturday?”

“Nothing yet, why? Got something brewing?”

Suga nodded, “Yeah, we were talking about going to a local university volleyball game, since it’s been a while. Our friend Bokuto is playing and we haven’t gone to any of his games yet.”

Tendou was about to take a bite out of his sandwich and paused. “Bokuto Koutarou? Spiky haired beefcake?”

Kuroo laughed, “Accurate description, also excitable idiot is applicable. You know him?”

“Ah, not personally. My friend Semi practices with him, though he’s not on the team.”

“Oh, Semi Eita, your old pinch server, right?” Sawamura asked.

“Yup, we get together from time to time. I’d love to go! That way Semi won’t cheer from the stands all by himself like an idiot.”

Suga brightened, “Great, it’s a date! Oh…  I mean not a _date_ , I was just saying it’s the date we’re all going somewhere together, and it’ll be on that day. I wasn’t insinuating anything it’ll just be for fun, I think it’ll be fun. It’s volleyball and I know we all miss it--”

Tendou leaned forward and placed his hands on Suga’s reddened cheeks, stilling the slew of nervous chatter. “Quick, Sawamura-kun! Where’s the off-switch? I think Sugawara-kun’s microchip is fried, he’s gonna blow!”

Sawamura and Kuroo laughed as Suga scrunched his face up angrily from between his hands. _Dammit that’s cute._

“Oh, Suga, we gotta run. It’s time for class.”

Tendou reluctantly released Suga’s face so he could gather his things. “See you later, guys. I’ll text you Tendou to let you know where we’ll meet and what time.”

Tendou smiled at him and nodded, “Thanks! I’ll see you then.” Suga gave him one last smile before Sawamura tugged on his arm.

As they walked away, Tendou’s eyes flickered beside him and Kuroo met his gaze. Kuroo chuckled and swung around the table so they were facing each other instead.

“So, Kuroo-kuuuuuun, I’m happy we get a chance to chat. Have you been friends with Bokuto long?”

Kuroo smirked and nodded. “Yup, we’ve been rivals for years, but we’re also friends and training partners… and occasionally partners in crime.”

Tendou chuckled, “My favorite kind of friend. So, is he gay?”

Kuroo had been drinking a can of coffee, but as Tendou asked the question he coughed on the contents. Tendou slyly slid a napkin toward him as he waited patiently for him to catch his breath and wipe up the mess.

“Why do you ask?” He wheezed, pushing his can to the side until the conversation was finished.

Tendou shrugged, “Asking for a friend who’s into him but doesn’t wanna hurt a friendship if he doesn’t prefer men.”

“Wow, hope that information wasn’t a secret,” Kuroo teased, leaning back in his chair with a grin.

“Oh, it probably was, but I don’t want to encourage him if it’s gonna be a bust, and here in front of me could be a possible clue to his mysterious sexuality. Come on, give me the goods.”

Kuroo frowned as he slid his fingers through his mess of black hair. “Honestly, I don’t know for sure. We never talked about it much, so I couldn’t tell you if he’s gay. Though I’m pretty certain he’s not completely heterosexual. He enjoys smacking his teammates asses too much to be totally straight.”

“Ah, speaking of teammates, him and Akaashi are…?”

“Ah, just friends. Though sometimes Akaashi seems more like a babysitter than a friend, but definitely not more than friends.”

“Thank you! You have been an excellent help! Let me know if you need me to return the favor, or pull Sugawara-kun somewhere else so you can actually make a move on his studly roommate. I’m here for you.”

Kuroo’s cheeks flushed as his back stiffened up. “What? What’re you talking about? I don’t--”

An evil grin spread across Tendou’s face as he leaned forward. “Oh… I’m sorry. You don’t find Sawamura-kun attractive? My mistake. I was thinking about setting him up with a friend of mine but changed my mind with the way you were flirting with him, but if it’s like that…”

“Wait! Jeeze, fine, I like him, you slimy bastard,” Kuroo growled. “It’s hard to tell if he likes me or not.”

“As an outside party observing carefully, I would say yes, he does. You should make a move soon and relieve all the sexual tension your pining has been building up between you two. It’s a little suffocating.”

Kuroo snorted, “Like you’re one to talk.”

“Eh?”

“Listen, whatever you and Suga are doing is adorable, but Daichi’s ears are bleeding from Suga’s moaning that you’re not interested in him, though it’s completely obvious to us.”

Tendou stared blankly, the gears in his head getting stuck as he worked through what Kuroo had said. “Sugawara likes me? Are you sure?”

Kuroo huffed out a laugh, “Yes, actually I’m certain, no guessing about it. You gonna do something about it?”

“I… yeah. I think I will. But you should too, Kuroo-kun.”

Kuroo groaned, “Alright, we’ll _both_ talk to them. Deal?” He held his hand out to shake, and Tendou blinked at it.

“Why does this feel familiar?” He muttered as he accepted Kuroo’s hand and shook.

 

On Saturday, Semi arrived early at the gym, so he could save seats for Tendou and his friends. He was able to snag a section close to the front with a perfect view right in front of the net. As the stands began to fill up, his eyes remained on the court where both teams were doing their warm ups. He tried to remain impartial with his observance, but his eyes always found their way back to Bokuto, whose face was excited and focused as he went through their preliminary drills.

Suddenly the whole world went dark as a pair of sweaty hands clasped over his eyes.

“Guess whoooooo?” An irritating voice sang in his ear.

“I’d say it’s an idiot with spiky red hair who spends too much time reading manga.”

“Bingo!” Tendou admitted without shame as he removed his hands and bounced into the seat next to him. “Semi, I’d like you to meet Sugawara, Sawamura, and Kuroo! Everybody, this is Semi!”

“Nice to meet you all. I remember you both from our match last year, I was impressed you made it so far during Spring High.”

“Thanks! We certainly worked hard for it,” Sawamura responded as he sat down next to Kuroo.

“Did you not continue with volleyball, Semi-kun? I remember you were quite a good setter and pinch server,” Suga asked as he slipped in between Tendou and Sawamura on the bleachers.

“Thanks, but no, I quit. I didn’t feel like keeping the bench warm when I have a lot of studying to do, you know?”

“Yeah, I can identify with that,” Suga admitted as they all turned their attention to the court. The players were drifting to the sidelines for a pregame talk with their coaches and captains. Bokuto was stretching out his arms as he walked when Kuroo gave out a little whistle. He glanced up and when his eyes caught sight of them a grin split across his face as he waved wildly. His eyes slid down the row until they landed on Semi. Instead of greeting him the same way, Bokuto hunched bashfully as he gave Semi a softer wave, almost as if it was a secret. Semi smiled and waved back.

While Semi was still focused on Bokuto, Kuroo leaned in front of Sawamura, his arm draped around his shoulders for stability. “Psst, Tendou!” He whispered loudly.

Tendou leaned in front of Sugawara toward him. “What?” He whispered with equal volume.

Kuroo gave a little jerk of his finger toward Bokuto. “That was freaking adorable, he doesn’t normally act like that. I’d say that’s a good sign for your friend.”

“That’s awesome! Hey, I never said it was Semi.”

“I’m a smart dude, but it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.”

“Ahem.” Kuroo glanced up to see Sawamura glaring down at him. He slipped on the most charming smile he could muster as he straightened up.

“Sorry, Sawamura… I didn’t mean to make you jealous,” He purred as his face crept closer.

Sawamura’s eyes grew wide as he gulped. “I... I wasn’t.”

“Hmm,” Kuroo replied as he leaned back in his seat, letting his hand slide down his back slowly and finally back onto his lap.

Tendou frowned as he watched Kuroo’s natural flirting ability, and then glanced to his right where Suga was waiting, biting his lip. He sighed as he leaned back in his seat. “I’m sorry I’m so awkward,” He muttered.

Suga giggled and reached his hands out to grasp Tendou’s forearm, giving it a comforting squeeze. “That’s okay… I don’t mind.”

When Suga didn’t immediately let go, his bright brown eyes filling him with a mixture of fuzzy feelings and sinful thoughts, Tendou felt his cheeks heat up to an embarrassing degree. He pursed his lips as he forced his attention back to the court since the game had already started.

“Damn, I’m beginning to feel like a fifth wheel,” Semi muttered toward him without drawing his eyes away, a smirk curling on his lips.

“Shut up, we all saw you making googly eyes at beefcake, I don’t wanna hear it.”

Semi furrowed his brows but said nothing as he twerked his mouth to the side in irritation.

It didn’t take long into the game for them all to see the ability level between the two teams was considerably one sided. Bokuto’s team took the first set without much difficulty, and the second was seeming to go the same way. As well as it was going, however, Semi grew worried as he noticed a few signs of Bokuto’s mood dropping. He had done something his setter didn’t like, and though Semi couldn’t hear what he was saying, it was obvious he was sending scolding remarks toward his sensitive friend.

“Oh boy… looks like Bokuto’s going into Emo mode. I’m surprised, he hasn’t even been blocked out and he’s this way.”

Semi blinked as he leaned forward toward Kuroo on the opposite end of their row. “Emo mode? Is that what you call it when he gets so mad he can’t do anything?”

Kuroo leaned forward as well with a nod. “Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see how they handle it. I’m sure they’ll be fine if he steps back a bit.”

Semi winced and shook his head. “Perhaps that’s how it was at Fukurodani, but not here. Even though Bokuto’s a first year, he really pumps up the team. When he gets like this he kinda brings everyone down with him. I don’t know why his setter keeps hassling him, it’s making things worse.”

They all exchanged worried glances as they turned back to the game. It was the other team’s ball, and they were able to score several points in succession due to the unraveled mood of their adversary. As their spiker sent the ball down, the libero picked it up and sent it to the setter. Bokuto was in the back row, so he sent the ball toward his teammate by the net, but it was too high, and it sailed over the middle blocker’s hand. Bokuto swept forward and launched himself upward and smacked the ball down before anyone could block him. His teammates cheered wildly for him, and Semi and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

“Well, hopefully that was enough to snap him out of it,” Kuroo said.

The other team wisely called a time out before the other could keep sailing on their high. As they all drifted toward the coach, the setter fell in step with Bokuto and started scolding him again. Bokuto scowled at his upperclassman but said nothing as the harsh words hit him one by one.

“What the hell is he doing?!” Semi seethed as he leaned forward, his fingers gripping into his thighs. “Why is he yelling at Bokuto, he did great when _he_ messed up?” Semi dropped his face into his hands, shaking his head back and forth. “Ahhh, he’s gonna ruin everything!”

Kuroo nodded as he glared down at the court. “I think you’re right. I wonder if the guy’s got a chip on his shoulder. Well it’s gonna be his fault if they lose this set.”

Semi groaned as he lifted his face back up. “I know, but Bokuto will blame himself.” The setter continued arguing with Bokuto, and even his teammates prodded him to cut it out. It was too late though, and Bokuto’s face showed his misery as his arms were crossed tightly in front of him, his cheeks growing red.

A low growl started to form in Semi’s throat, and the rest of them glanced his way as his own stress began to rise. “Dammit, I wish I could do something. He can’t treat Bokuto like that, I freaking hate that guy! If only there was--” Semi stopped, and they could practically see a lightbulb above his head light up. He stared down at the court as the time out was over and the teams were drifting back onto the court.

“Uh, Semi-kun, there’s not really anything you can do from up here,” Tendou said as he went to place a hand on his shoulder. Before it could land, Semi lurched out of his seat.

“Bokuto!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. Nearly the whole auditorium grew quiet, and Bokuto whirled around as his eyes landed on Semi in surprise. “That spike was amazing!”

The chatter throughout the audience rose back up with a few laughs and coughs scattered throughout. Bokuto continued staring at Semi confused, but as his words clicked in his head a giant grin spread across his face. Even the spikes in his hair seemed to perk up.

“Thanks!” He yelled back and gave him a thumbs up. He hopped over to his position while his teammates gave him an encouraging pat on his back.

As the reality of what he had done seeped into his brain, Semi heard snorts of laughter erupt beside him. He turned as all four of them were doing what they could to contain themselves, to no avail.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Tendou wheezed as he held his arms around his belly. “Oh my gosh that was so _embarrassing_ , I can’t even sit beside you. Sugawara-kun, please switch with me.”

His arms snaked around Suga as he tried to shove him playfully out of his seat while Suga swatted him away. “No way! He’s _your_ friend!”

Semi pursed his lips as he morbidly wondered how red his face was. Timidly he sat back down as he was aware of a million eyes on him.

Kuroo leaned forward and waved at him to get his attention. “Semi, thank you. That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen. I didn’t think you’d confess so publicly though?”

Sawamura snorted into his hand beside him and Semi glared at him. “I didn’t confess! I was just encouraging him.”

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at him. “I heard a confession, anybody else hear a confession?” All four of them raised their hands. “I rest my case. I hope it works out for you, Dude.” Kuroo leaned back to leave Semi alone in his misery. He glanced down next to him as Sawamura continued chuckling at the situation. “Is that something you’d like, Sawamura? A public confession that’s certain to be humiliating?”

Sawamura snorted and shook his head, “No way, that’s not my thing. I’d prefer it to be kind of private, and nice.”

Kuroo smiled widely as he turned back to the game. “Yeah, sounds good to me.”

Though Semi’s outburst had embarrassed himself to the point where he wallowed in despair, Bokuto’s spirits were lifted enough to boost the entire team’s morale as they plunged forward and won the game by several points. As the crowd filed out in masses, Tendou wrapped his arm around his wilted friend and guided him onto his feet.

“Come on, Semi-kun, it’s not that bad. I think we can thank you for saving the game for our team!”

Kuroo reached forward and gave him a pat on the back. “He’s right, it takes a lot to snap Bokuto out of his moods. Akaashi had a freakin list in his head on how to handle every scenario!”

As they slipped out of the gym, they wandered off to the side to wait for Bokuto since they had planned prior for them all to eat out after the game. Semi leaned back against the stone wall of the gym, a feeling of dread flowing over him for what Bokuto might say.

Suga tugged on Tendou’s sleeve as he leaned up toward his ear. “So, how long as Semi liked Bokuto?”

Tendou snorted, “Pretty much the day they met, which would be like three, four months ago? Not sure.”

“Wow! I hope it works out, I think they’d be really cute together.”

Tendou felt his whole body melt as he observed the kind smile on Suga’s face. “Yeah… me too.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” Bokuto’s yell rang out as he tackled Kuroo nearly off his feet.

“Ahh, you damned owl, get off me!”

“And the crows! Ha, ha, I missed you guys!” He teased as he ruffled their heads.

As Suga straightened his hair back he gave a nod toward Tendou. “Bokuto, this is Tendou Satori. He played for Shiratorizawa with Semi.”

“Oh! Nice to meet you Tendou!” He said with a grin as he gave him a forceful pat on his slender arm.

Tendou smiled excitedly, “Oh, the pleasure’s all mine! I’ve heard soooooo much about you, Bokuto-kun.”

“Oh, really? From who?”

Behind him Kuroo face palmed as Sawamura shook his head. Tendou cleared his throat and stepped aside, revealing Semi who was hanging back in his nervousness. The vibrating excitement in Bokuto subdued into a warm shyness as he gave his friend a small smile.

“Hey, Semi.”

Semi smiled back, but didn’t move. “Hey… that was a good game.”

Bokuto huffed out a laugh as he ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, it was. Especially after you--” He paused as he glanced back up at Semi. He gulped and stepped forward, not stopping until he stood right in front of Semi. Semi’s eyes widened as Bokuto stared down at him, his hands reaching out to grasp his arms. “Semi, what you did was amazing. I just-- I need to say something, it’s been tearing me up inside. Please hear me out.”

Semi nodded, his heart pounding wildly as he tried to catch his breath. “Ok.”

Bokuto licked his lips as his golden eyes bore through him with intensity. “Semi… will you _please_ try out for our team next year?”

Behind them were a series of groans and whispers from their friends.

“That’s not what I thought he was gonna say.”

“Lame.”

“It’s kind of sweet…”

“And here I was just getting excited.”

Semi heard none of them as a broad smile grew on his face. He nodded and said, “Yeah… I’ll try out for the team.”

Like the sun erupting through cold, obtrusive clouds, Bokuto’s smile stretched across his face with unbridled enthusiasm.

“You will?! That’s great! I’m so--” Suddenly, Bokuto paused, and without warning lurched forward to crash his lips against Semi’s, pinning him against the wall. Semi gave out a squeal of surprise, but forgot it quickly as he wrapped his arms around Bokuto’s shoulders and closed his eyes.

“Whoooa, I didn’t see that coming.”

“Awwwwwww!”

“They do realize they’re in public, don’t they?”

There was the sound of a camera phone going off as Tendou swerved around for a better angle. “He, he he, I’m sending these to everyone we know! Yay, Semi-kun won the pact!”

Sawamura cocked his head at him as he continued playing paparazzi. “What pact, Tendou?”

“Ah, we both had crushes and made a pact to act on them cuz we were acting like babies.”

Suga’s eyes widened. “You have a crush on someone, Tendou? Who is it?”

Tendou froze in a leaning crouch as he realized what he had revealed. He jerked his head as his eyes were wide with terror. “What? I didn’t say anything, what’s that!” He pointed in the opposite direction and ran away, regardless that no one had looked where he pointed. Despite his long legs carrying him quickly, Suga caught up quick as he tackled him in the grass.

Kuroo and Sawamura laughed in amusement as they watched. “Wow! Something must be in the water for all this disgusting romance, huh?” Kuroo joked as he glanced down at his companion.

Sawamura smirked back at him and nodded. “Yeah, maybe we should get out of here before we’re infected.”

“Sure, you wanna go back to my place and watch a movie?” He suggested as they began to walk away, leaving their friends to themselves. “That way, after relaxing a bit, confessing to you won’t seem like me just _going with the flow_.”

Sawamura laughed as his cheeks began to turn pink. “Yeah… that sounds good to me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Tendou's section in the beginning:  
> Link to his Zelda: He does consider himself the princess in that scenario  
> Pikachu to his Ash: He thinks Suga's super cute  
> Vakarian to his Shepherd: I expect less people to get this reference. It's from Mass Effect, my favorite video game, lol. I always romance Garrus, cuz he's the best.  
> I hope you all enjoyed it! Hope the ending wasn't too cheesy, but it made me laugh. As always, I love happy comments!

**Author's Note:**

> There may be a couple more ships sneaking their way into here, we'll see :D As always comments are always appreciated!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Spike My Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14523267) by [BGee93](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BGee93/pseuds/BGee93)




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